1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium in a state in which a process cartridge is removably mounted to an apparatus main body.
The electrophotographic image forming apparatus (hereinafter, referred to as an image forming apparatus) described herein forms an image on a recording medium by using an electrophotographic image forming process. As the image forming apparatus, there are given, for example, an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (for example, color light emitting diode (LED) printer), a facsimile machine, and a word processor. Further, in a state in which the process cartridge (hereinafter, referred to as a cartridge) is removably mounted to an image forming apparatus main body (hereinafter, referred to as an apparatus main body), the process cartridge contributes to the electrophotographic image forming process for forming an image on a recording medium. In the cartridge, at least one of charging means, developing means, and cleaning means each serving as process means and an electrophotographic photosensitive member (hereinafter, referred to as a photosensitive member) are integrated into a cartridge, which is removably mounted to the apparatus main body. The charging means, the developing means, and the cleaning means, which act on the photosensitive member, are referred to as the process means. The cartridge can be mounted to and removed from the apparatus main body by a user him/herself, and hence the user him/herself can easily perform maintenance of the apparatus main body. Further, on the recording medium, the image forming apparatus forms an image, and the recording medium includes a paper sheet and an OHP sheet.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there is known an image forming apparatus using an LED unit for subjecting a photosensitive member of a cartridge to exposure (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-182539). The image forming apparatus includes a slide frame slidingly movable with respect to an apparatus main body. The slide frame bears multiple cartridges, an intermediate transfer member, and an LED frame provided with the LED unit. The LED frame is pivotably supported on the slide frame, and is arranged on the multiple cartridges. When a cartridge is replaced, the slide frame is pulled out from the apparatus main body. The LED frame on the slide frame is manually pivoted upward. The cartridge to be removed is pulled out of the slide frame upward. Then, a cartridge to be mounted is mounted to the slide frame. The LED frame is manually pivoted downward to be arranged on the cartridges. The slide frame is pushed into the apparatus main body. The cartridge is replaced in the above-mentioned procedure.
In the conventional image forming apparatus, the LED frame having the LED unit is pivotably attached to the apparatus main body (the slide frame). Therefore, a conventional technology requires a space to pivot the LED frame. In this context, in order to pivot the LED frame when a cartridge is replaced, it has been conceived to pull out the LED frame to the outside of the apparatus main body.